


visions of you come to life

by ironicallyirredeemable



Category: Still Star-Crossed (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Valentine's In Verona
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2020-02-28 15:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18758776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironicallyirredeemable/pseuds/ironicallyirredeemable
Summary: Rosaline is grateful for her job in the family company, honestly, truly. It's a low assistant position and her aunt works her like a mule, but whatever, it pays and at least she has a few friends in the office. When it was announced that their office space would be shared with the Montagues during a construction period, she wasn't expecting much to change.  And months go by before it finally does. Modern AU. (Week 2 prompt for UnwrittenMusings' 'Valentines in Verona' challenge)*new* title (from 'Dreams' by John Legend), same great taste





	1. Chapter 1

Rosaline is leaning against a stack of copy paper, fussing over her freshest paper cut, when the copier jerks. There’s a shrill sound before the error message pops up. Rosaline groans and throws her hands down. Following the prompt from the screen, she opens the side panel and starts poking around.

"Need help?"

She jumps, knocking her hand against the exposed belt marked with a sign reading “warning: can reach 120℃.”

"Shit!"

“Sorry!"

Her hand is quickly cradled by a larger, calloused pair.

"It's okay,” Rosaline mumbles, staring at their interwoven hands.

"I think there's a first aid kit in the kitchen." He starts pulling her from the copier.

"Really, it's okay."

He halts. She can see the tips of his ears turn red before he clears his throat and nods. They're still standing in the copy room, her palm in his.

"Did you need something?" she asks.

His eyes widen. He nods before dropping her hand and stepping half way out of the room. His laptop is resting on an edge of a shelf. Rosaline guesses he placed it there before he popped in on her.

"I tried to get access to this and it says I need the legal team’s permission? I would have emailed you but then I walked by," he trails off.

She leans in closer to see what's on his screen. It’s unfocused, a blur of shapes and letters that don’t really register long term.

"Oh yeah, I can fix that from here - if you don't mind."

"Go ahead."

He holds out the laptop. Rosaline has to reach over his arm to type. It wobbles a little as she pounds at the keyboard. He shifts his grip and as a result, her side brushes up against his arm, the warmth from it seeping through her flimsy polyester blouse.

"Okay, you should be good to go."

She looks up. Most of his face, like the screen, isn’t registering but his eyes - something about his eyes is familiar. His lids lower; his gaze has dropped to her mouth.

Rosaline jolts awake.

She runs her fingertips across her lips. This is the third night in a row she's had the dream, and it's starting to get stale. She checks her phone; 32 minutes before she actually has to wake up. With a groan Rosaline swings her legs out of bed and gets started on her morning routine.

Her early waking time is the silver lining to her reoccurring dream. Now that the company is sharing their office space, Rosaline has been showing up early to avoid the morning flood of the elevator and to get a head start on her aunt’s unreasonable requests. Giuliana seemed to be extra crotchety given that the other company in question is run by the Montagues. It’s a sick sort of irony that, what she and Rosaline’s uncle expected to be a public relations boost, turned out to be an internal nightmare. The Montagues should have been able to move into their new space within a month but it had been four and there are no signs of progress speeding up.

When Rosaline arrives at the office, the only soul around is the office manager, Helena.

"Good morning!"

Rosaline’s yawn cuts off her response. On the second try Rosaline manages to return the greeting as Helena bustles around the front desk.

"You're here extra early again," Helena comments.

"Well you know, early bird gets home before rush hour."

"But the late owl gets all the office gossip," she replies with a hushed voice, stepping up to bump her shoulder against Rosaline’s.

"You manage to get the tea no matter the time of day Helena. What does that make you?"

She grins. "A dedicated employee. Speaking of which, you haven't stopped by the desk all week!"

Rosaline winces. "I'll swing by around lunch."

Helena nods and calls out, “I’m holding you to that,” as she speeds off, continuing her morning rounds.

* * *

A loud gurgling sound breaks the silence between two songs. Rosaline pauses her music and glances at the clock. It’s nearly two. She’s worked through a reasonable lunch hour, again. She punches out an order on her phone and stands up to stretch. Her twenty minute wait can count as a break and a chance to chat with Helena.

“It’s late,” Rosaline starts, leaning against Helena’s massive desk, “but I _am_ technically taking lunch now.”

“Fulfilling your morning promise, I’m honored.”

“You know I’m not one to run from responsibility.” Rosaline mocks herself with a roll of her eyes.

Helena laughs and motions for Rosaline to come around the desk. Rosaline pulls out the spare chair and catches a glimpse of Helena’s online window shopping as she plops down.

“Perfect timing actually, you won’t believe what I heard about Helena.”

She furrows her eyebrows. “You’re speaking about yourself in the third person now?”

Helena scoots closer. “Not me,” she hisses. “Helena in Accounting.”

“Oh, right,” Rosaline says, still confused. “ _That_ Helena.”

“Anyway, get this, she has this huge crush on Demetrius in HR but he’s been going out with Hermia, also in HR, who apparently is _actually_  interested in this dude in Finance named Lysander.”

“...I’m going to need a chart.”

One color-coded set of scribblings later and Rosaline is cackling through Helena’s retelling of various bits of gossip she has collected over the week. Helena’s recreation of the poorly hidden love notes she’s found during her evening clean-up is bringing Rosaline to tears. She is muffling her laughter behind her hands as the phone rings. Helena clears her throat and answers with a syrupy sweet voice.

“I’ll send her down now, thank you.”

She turns back to Rosaline. "There's a food delivery for you but they aren't letting him upstairs."

Rosaline looks out through the large glass front doors and groans.

“That line for the elevator is offensive.”

“Guess you aren’t the only one having a late lunch.”

Rosaline stands from the desk, snatching the notes that Helena has listed out.

“I’m keeping this for your next update.”

Helena barks out a genuine laugh. “Just don’t leave it in a conference room, please.”

Rosaline shoots her a smile as she leaves, heading directly for the stairs. She swipes her card and pushes the security exit door open, folded chart in one hand, when a voice calls out.

"Hold the door!"

She slows as steps thunder towards her. A hand snatches the edge of the door.

"Thanks, I don't have a key card yet - always have to wait for someone else."

The man in front of her pushes a flop of brown hair away from his forehead. Rosaline stares at him blatantly. His face is distantly familiar, like a candy she can’t remember the name of but would recognize the taste.

"Um, you alright?"

"Yes! Yes." Rosaline clears her throat. "Sorry, it's just, uh."

She lowers her head and mumbles something unintelligible. When she looks back up, he's smirking.

"I'm Benvolio by the way."

He's offering his hand out to her. She slowly slips her palm into his grasp and knows it's a mistake as soon as her fingers wrap around his.

"Rosaline."

His smirk has shifted to a slow and easy smile. "Nice to finally meet you Rosaline."

Her neck heats up at the way her name rolls off of his tongue

"Finally?"

He sputters, “I, uh, I’ve seen you around a lot but it's hard to know who is squatting and who actually works here."

She scoffs. "You don't remember people you regularly work with?"

"Do we regularly work together?"

"I guess you wouldn't know."

His cheek pulls and Rosaline can tell he’s biting the inside, but the curve of Benvolio’s smile still peeks through.

“Well which department _do_ you work in, fair Rosaline?”

Her phone buzzes violently. She finally pulls her hand from his to check it.

"Shit - my delivery guy is gonna leave. Nice meeting you," she rushes out.

Rosaline spins and flies down the stairs. She makes it to the delivery guy just in time and tips him extra for the wait. Rosaline lingers in the lobby afterwards, expecting Benvolio to tail behind her again but he is nowhere to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The week 2's prompt was "soulmate AU" -- I tried to frame soulmates as being determined through a reoccurring dream.....yeah girl idk, work with me here. 
> 
> And okay yes, I'm posting all of this literally three months after the challenge and ~yes~ there is another challenge currently running (that I am writing something for and will publish by the end of this month I Promise) but! I had written so much of this in February that I just had to go back and finish it. And then it morphed into something a bit bigger than I was expecting. Shout out to them slow work days fueling my creative mind.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

That night is the first that Rosaline doesn’t have the dream. She still wakes up early, out of habit, but uses the extra time to scroll through her phone for a bit. She makes the mistake of checking her email before she gets to work and sees the request from her aunt. Eight sets of copies for a meeting of 30 people that will be starting at 8:30, sharp. With a groan, Rosaline expedites her morning routine and heads out.

It's halfway through the massive copy request that the machine sputters, screeches and stops. Rosaline looks up from her papercut and everything, from the taste of coffee on the back of her tongue to the error code flashing in front of her, feels like she’s done this before.

She gingerly pulls the offending piece of paper from where it's wedged between two hot pieces of metal.

Rosaline sees him pop into the room from her peripheral vision. She is expecting the question before he even asks if she needs help. Rosaline steps back and looks up. Benvolio’s face comes into focus.

“Ah ha! I grabbed the wonky paper without getting burned this time.”

“This time?” he asks.

She shrugs. “The copy machine hates me, especially when I’m in a rush.”

“You’re not too pressed for time I hope. I was actually looking for your help.”

Rosaline slams the side panel shut and steps back to the screen, pounding out a few commands. Once the copier starts to churn again, she turns to Benvolio and sweeps her arm to invite him.

“Please, step into my office.”

He smiles, leans out of the doorway then steps in with his laptop in hand.

"I tried to get access to this and it says I need the legal team’s permission? I would have emailed you but -”

“Then you walked by,” Rosaline says at the same time as Benvolio, both of them trailing off.

“But you can fix it from here, right?” he asks.

She nods and steps up close. After typing in her info, she looks up. Benvolio is watching her. Rosaline’s stomach drops. The fluttering feeling clashes with the warmth blossoming at her side where his arm is pressed against her waist and she knows she’s been here before.

“You should be good to go,” she finally mumbles.

Benvolio nods and his gaze drops. Rosaline licks her lips, chasing the phantom of the tingling feeling that normally wakes her.

There’s a sharp, shrill noise as the copier sputters to a halt again. Rosaline falls back with a groan. Benvolio is still lingering in the room as she yanks open the side panel again.

“It’s too early for even the copier to be working,” he jokes.

“Yet here we all are, suffering.”

Rosaline retrieves two jammed pieces of paper and promptly slices her finger with the second one. She hisses, drops them both in the recycling bin and pops her knuckle into her mouth.

“Burns and cuts? Hazardous work for you isn’t it?”

She snorts, pleased with the shocked and amused expression on Benvolio’s face. “At best.”

He places his laptop onto the copier and steps closer. “Let me see it.”

“It’s just a paper cut Ben,” she says but offers up her hand anyway.

He examines her finger with red-tipped ears before confirming, “yup, appears to be just a paper cut.”

Rosaline rolls her eyes. Benvolio smirks at her and she can’t help but to smile back. He blinks, seemingly shaking himself back to Earth.

“There was actually another reason I was looking for you.”

He drops her hand and reaches into his pocket. Rosaline’s eyes widen at the rough square of paper he pulls out.

“You dropped this yesterday.”

“Did you open it?”

“No - why? Is it for me?”

She snatches it from his grasp. “Why would I write a note for someone who doesn’t even know if he works with me?”

Benvolio lets out a short laugh. “You’re not going to let that go anytime soon, are you?”

“I can be pretty stubborn you’ll find.”

The alarm on her phone thankfully cuts off whatever cheeky response he was formulating. Based off the angle of his smirk, she’s betting that the comment was bound to have her eyes rolling to the back of her head - wait a minute. Rosaline shakes off the thought and silences her alarm.

“Thirty minute warning. I really have to finish these copies.”

“Yeah, of course.” Benvolio scoops up his laptop. “Try not to get anymore injuries? I like you in one piece,” he comments over his shoulder on his way out.

Rosaline finishes her copies, unabashedly grinning like an idiot.

When she delivers the copies, Rosaline is given the sudden demand to take notes for the whole three and a half hours. The meeting burns by in a fury, and she stumbles out of the conference room with blurry eyes and a sore back. The Montagues have commandeered the side of the office where the majority of the conference rooms are. Walking through the rearranged cubicles feels like stomping through enemy territory. Rosaline keeps her gaze at a fixed point on the ground ahead of her. Someone is striding next to her but she doesn’t turn her head to greet them.

“Hello? Earth to Rosaline?”

“Benvolio?”

Her response comes out louder than expected. Someone looks over the edge of their cubicle wall to glare at her. Rosaline offers an apologetic smile as Benvolio palms her elbow and gently directs her to a bend in the corner.

“You alright? You’re walking through here like a zombie.”

She sighs and rolls her neck, trying to rock out the stiffness. “I feel like one.”

“The copier really kicked your ass huh?”

Her laugh is half sigh

“What are you doing for lunch? Not chasing a delivery man again I hope.”

“I haven’t decided yet. Any suggestions?”

“Want to eat with me? It’ll be my treat.”

“Now?”

She looks down at her computer, an excuse about needing to summarize notes already forming on her lips. He slips the laptop from her grasp, stacking it on top of his own. Rosaline’s head snaps up.

“A break would do you good.”

“Fine,” she concedes, stepping around him to continue her trek across the office. “But I want a milkshake.”

Benvolio, trailing close behind, barks out a laugh. Neither one of them notice the glaring set of eyes watching them over the ledge of a cubicle.

When they reach Helena’s desk, Rosaline is a bit surprised to see the head of the Communications department leaning across the desk, smiling kindly at Helena.

“Hey Isabella,” Rosaline greets.

“Hey Ros.” Her smile is bright as she scans over her friend. Her gaze shifts over to Benvolio. “Hey Ros’ friend.”

He shuffles both laptops under one arm and offers his free hand to Isabella. “Benvolio.”

“Nice to meet you,” she replies, looking impressed.

Rosaline shakes her head fondly and turns her attention to Helena. “Could we leave our laptops here? We’re heading out for lunch.”

Rosaline ignores the pointed look that Helena gives her. She can tell from the tilt of her eyebrows that Helena is expecting something juicy to come out of this.

“Sure - if you promise to sit with me for the afternoon.”

“Well when you put it that way,” Rosaline trails off, laughing at the exaggerated, offended expression on Helena’s face. “Of course I’ll sit here.”

The curl of Helena’s lips could rival the cheshire cat’s. “We’ll have much to discuss -- enjoy lunch!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bruh. this is definitely gonna need a third chapter cause there's another scene i have in mind that...i mean it could exist without another scene ahead of it but i feel like it'd be more enjoyable with the extra scene? hammercy


	3. Chapter 3

“What made you think I work in legal?” Rosaline asks as she sits. 

He stops abruptly; the bowls atop the tray he’s holding wobble. Benvolio places down their food and lowers himself into the seat next her before he responds. 

“I didn’t - but I’d heard you’ve been here for a while and thought you’d know how to help me.” 

“Sounds like something a stalker would say,” she quips before popping a chip in her mouth.

“Now Rosaline,” he going to purr her name everytime he says it, isn’t he. “I’m better than that.” 

“You’re speaking like I know you.” 

“Don’t you?” There’s a pause between them. “Want to, I mean.” 

“What makes you think that?”  

Benvolio tilts his head, processing her question. “Call it a hunch.” 

Rosaline hums and grabs another chip. Deja vu from the copier aside, something has been pulling her to Benvolio since their meeting in the stairwell. She wants to be skeptical but her brain is fried, her stomach is empty and the break is nice. So instead she spends lunch talking to him about anything but work and learns about their shared love for the strange aftertaste of the food truck coffee, superhero movies and obnoxious, but adorable, younger cousins.

 It’s only when Benvolio rises to toss their trash that either realizes a whole hour has passed. They frantically collect their things and speedwalk to the office. Benvolio smacks into her back when they reach the security turnstile inside and Rosaline has to clutch the arm he shoots around her waist to keep them both from toppling over as she swipes her key card.  Out of breath in the elevator, that thankfully arrived just as it was called, Rosaline bursts into laughter. 

“What is it?” Benvolio asks around a smile. 

“We probably look dumb as hell running in here right now.” She snorts at the end of her sentence, sending him into a cackling fit of his own. 

When the elevator reaches their floor, Benvolio holds out his arm to usher her out first. Rosaline thanks him as she dabs at her eyes. He beats her to the door, holding it open for her as well. 

“Trying hard to win my favor, are you?” she asks. 

“Depends, is it working?” 

Rosaline grins up at him. “No.” 

She turns the corner and  strides up to the reception desk, waving at Helena. Rosaline feels Benvolio before she hears him, a sudden warmth at the back of her arm. 

“Guess I’ll have to try harder.” 

Rosaline turns her head to gape at him. Benvolio winks before greeting Helena. 

“Welcome back!” Helena chirps. “You were gone for a while, thought we’d have to send out the dogs.”

“Ha. Ha,” Rosaline deadpans. “And to think, I bought you a cookie.” 

Helena clutches her chest with an exaggerated gasp. “I take it all back.”  

Rosaline sticks out her tongue as she passes the paper bag. “I’ll be expecting access to your candy stash in return.” 

Benvolio perks up. “She has candy back there?” 

Rosaline leans her hip against the desk, turning to face him. “Good candy too, not just mints.” 

He steps closer and fake whispers, “you’re gonna snatch some for me too, right?” 

“Don’t push your luck.” 

“Hey! I bought you lunch!” 

Rosaline lets out a snort of laughter and looks over to Helena. Her grin is engulfing half of her face. Rosaline gulps down the impending feeling of being the next source of hot gossip. 

“Can he have some Twix?” 

“Oh definitely.” 

Helena ducks out of view then pops back up with a handful of fun sized bars. She passes the candy with a speed Rosaline knows is intentional.  

“I’ll be right back,” Helena says before darting off. 

With a huff, Rosaline turns back to Benvolio and drops the chocolates into his palm. 

“Your payment, sir.” 

“Only two Ros? You wound me.” 

She shrugs, ignoring the jolt she feels hearing her nickname from him. “Who knows, next time you might get more.” 

“Next time? And when will that be?” 

A rush of heat flashes up her neck and cheeks, burning her ear lobes. 

“Whenever you get a key card. I can’t always be the one sneaking us out,” she quips, trying to regain control. 

 “I’m not sure if they’ll be giving any of us one at all. IT might be waiting until we move into the final office.” 

She cocks an eyebrow. "You work for the Montagues?" 

"I _am_ the Montagues," he mocks her with false foreboding in the repetition of his family name.  “Well one of them at least.” 

Rosaline nods slowly, both of her eyebrows now raised. The clicking of Helena’s approaching heels keeps her conscious enough of her surroundings to school her face back into a neutral expression. 

“Meaning you won’t be around much longer at all.”  

“ _Meaning_ we should do this again,” he clarifies, rocking forward on his toes, “ soon.”

She rolls her eyes but can’t bite back her smile.

“I am counting the days,” she drawls, the full potential of her snarkiness subdued.  

As Helena plops back down into her seat, Benvolio gives her a parting smirk and turns on his heel, heading back towards Montague territory. Rosaline’s cheeks are still rounded with the lingering curl of her smile as she sits next to Helena. 

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

Helena flicks on the white noise machine kept near her space heater. 

“You’re going to tell me everything, right now, before I explode.” 

* * *

Back at his desk, Benvolio searches for her name in the staff directory (for future instances where he might need to email her - it's not weird, honest) and finds the root of the fear in her eyes. 

A _Capulet_? Really? 

He refreshes the window, types her name in the search again and is met with the same single result. Benvolio scrubs his face then texts Romeo. Fifteen minutes pass before his cousin responds, asking if he can talk. Benvolio does a quick loop of the office then, after finding that _every_ phone booth is full, uses a side door to head to the blissfully empty bathroom. Romeo picks up on the second ring. 

“You texted ‘mayday,’ what happened? You told her about the drawings and she threw soup in your face didn’t she?” 

“No! No, lunch was great actually.” 

“Is she not the right girl?”

Benvolio shakes his head. “It’s her. Everything happened just like the dream.” 

“What’s wrong then?” 

“She’s a Capulet.” 

Romeo is silent for a moment then roars with laughter. Benvolio drops his head to his hand. 

“This is actually the opposite of funny.” 

“Oh come on, this is hilarious,” Romeo is still laughing as he says it. “Imagine the collective blood pressures of our families at the double wedding.” 

Benvolio shoots upright. “I just met her!” 

Romeo’s laughter finally dies down. “And you’ve been dreaming about her for nearly a year.” He pauses. “You can’t tell me you don’t plan on marrying your soulmate.” 

Benvolio lets out a long breath and rocks back against the stall. “What if she’s not as understanding as your Capulet?” 

“Only one way to find out.” 

* * *

“Wait, wait slow down. You’ve dreamt about him?” 

Rosaline nods. 

“Before or after meeting him?”

She chews at her bottom lip. “Before.” 

“For how long?” 

“Three months maybe?” 

“Oh. Oh no.” 

“I know.” Rosaline drops her head to her forearms. 

“I can’t believe I lost my bet with Livia!” 

She jerks upright. “What!?” 

“She bet me that your soulmate would be at work. I bet her that the universe would have a better sense of humor than that. I guess not.” 

Rosaline lets out a laugh that sounds more like a squawk. “You have no idea.” 

Helena furrows her brows then scoots closer. “Spill.” 

“He’s a Montague,” Rosaline whispers. 

Helena leans back, scoffs. “Oh I knew that.” The eased expression on her face slowly melts away. “You _didn’t_ know that?!” she hisses. 

“No! Why would I? I have headphones in ninety-eight percent of the time!” 

“True. Well I don’t see what the big deal is.” At Rosaline’s widened gaze, Helena continues, “your families have been working side by side for a while now and nothing has burned down. Plus there’s Juliet.” 

“Juliet hasn’t told her parents yet. She wanted to wait until the offices are separate again in case everything _does_ go south.”

“Oh that’s a good idea actually.” 

Rosaline rubs her temples. "What are the chances that we're both doomed to love Montagues?" 

" _Doomed_? Doesn't look that bad when you're flirting with him." 

"And when is that exactly?"

"Let me check my notes - oh right, all the time!" 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Helena’s mouth flies open, an expression of exaggerated shock. Rosaline has to hold back her laugh.

“I just met the man!” Rosaline continues. 

“That hasn’t been slowing you down from what I’ve seen.” 

Rosaline feels a groan coming. Helena grabs her hands before she can cover her face. 

“It’s okay. Your soulmate is your mortal enemy by blood. Mine is the Communications leader, whose professional and political power is honestly a little intimidating.” 

“Wait, what?” Rosaline interrupts. “Is Isabella your soulmate?!” 

Helena waves off her surprise. “Not the point here. _The point_ is that none of that shit matters. You’re supposed to be together. Everything else you’ll figure out along the way.” 

Rosaline stills, staring at their linked hands as Helena’s words wash over her. 

“Wow, that was like Disney movie level profound.” 

“Thank you.” Helena beams. “Running my podcast has been helping me create good sound bites.” 

“Listen to you, a whole media mogul. You and your soulmate are the perfect match.” 

“And so are you and yours,” she says, squeezing Rosaline’s hands. “You can’t argue your way out of this one.” 

Helena is right but it doesn’t stop Rosaline from wanting to try. She hears the front door to the office swing open as she pulls from Helena’s grasp. Given that the front door is the only one that stays unlocked from the outside, sitting at the reception desk for the afternoon means having to awkwardly smile at everyone returning from the bathroom. The two wake their computer screens and sit up straight, prepping for the first of a dozen fake smiles. Rosaline’s poised demeanor cracks as soon as the employee turns the corner. 

Escalus?

From her periphery, Helena shifts to stare at her. Escalus gives her something between a smile and a smirk. 

Shit, she said that out loud, didn't she? 

“Long time no see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *jonathan van ness voice* so here’s the thing, this fic is entirely motivated by how i feel at work, which has been “shitty” for the past 9 months until an interaction with my work crush this week that spurred me back into action. i wasn’t planning on this being longer than 3 chapters but it’s amazing what thirst will energize you to do. two, yes i did see that plot hole and i patched that bad boy right up! thirdly, Helena normally only exists within Isabella’s orbit but i changed that a bit here and hope it worked


End file.
